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Story: Northland region

The father of the forest

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The father of the forest

Remnant kauri forests in Northland contain some giant kauri trees, such as this one in Waipoua Forest. Called Te Matua Ngahere (‘the father of the forest’), it is the second-largest living kauri, measuring 29.9 metres tall, with a girth of 16.41 metres.

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How to cite this page

Claudia Orange, Northland region – Natural environment, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7518/the-father-of-the-forest (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Claudia Orange, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 May 2015.